Mr HENDERSON - 2001-06-26
Over many years, concerned Territorians have reported to Territory government agencies the Director of Tracy Aged Care Nursing Home has intimidated staff and overseen life-threatening and demeaning practices on elderly residents, including: false requisitions for prescribed drugs; prescribed drugs being handed out by unqualified staff; the forced use of incontinence napkins during an accreditation inspection due to a lack of proper cleaning facilities; and careless infection control procedures leadingto cases of scabies. I seek leave to table an independent medication audit undertaken in April 2000, which detailed some of the many concerns that have been raised.
Leave granted.
Mr HENDERSON: Minister, do you agree that those responsible for these practices should be held accountable?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I believe that we should all be held accountable for actions that we have taken that have an impact on people, including those of us who stand in this parliament. And I did read with some disgust the comments made by Senator Trish Crossin in the federal parliament on this particular matter, which we are now having rerun here in the Northern Territory, where there are some investigations underway by appropriate authorities; where there are issues relating to due process, and fairness and issues like that; and where there are people who have chosen, as parliamentarians, given the protections that are afforded us and the great privilege that is afforded us to stand up here and speak about anybody. We can stand up here in this parliament and say anything about anybody, whether it be true or not, and we are afforded the privilege of parliament to do that.
It is a great pity, I think, when this privilege is abused in such a way, where people’s names are used. As a result of it there are press releases, there are front page stories with pictures and all the rest of it, and my investigations have revealed that there are some investigations still on foot.
So the issue really for the opposition is, do you have confidence in those organs of government that are charged with doing this stuff? Are you confident that the Nurses Registration Board is competent? Are you confident that the make-up of that particular board is independent from government ...
Mr Henderson: Eight out of 10 appointed by the minister!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr DUNHAM: Eight out of 10 of the Nurses Registration Board are my choice, is the interjection. Can I tell you that they know very little about this stuff.
The point we have is that if there are people who are aggrieved by the particular actions of, let us say, a nurse who happens to carry registration under the Northern Territory Nurses Registration Board, there are a variety of remedies available to those people. One of them is to go to the Nurses Registration Board, which is indeed what has happened. Another is to stand up in this parliament and make a judgment as to the innocence or guilt of parties. It is my preference to use due process, and to give to the independence of the Nurses Registration Board the confidence that certainly this side of the House has in them, and the capacity to be able to investigate this matter without the political interference that seems to be the hallmark of anything the Labor Party has anything to do with.
Leave granted.
Mr HENDERSON: Minister, do you agree that those responsible for these practices should be held accountable?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I believe that we should all be held accountable for actions that we have taken that have an impact on people, including those of us who stand in this parliament. And I did read with some disgust the comments made by Senator Trish Crossin in the federal parliament on this particular matter, which we are now having rerun here in the Northern Territory, where there are some investigations underway by appropriate authorities; where there are issues relating to due process, and fairness and issues like that; and where there are people who have chosen, as parliamentarians, given the protections that are afforded us and the great privilege that is afforded us to stand up here and speak about anybody. We can stand up here in this parliament and say anything about anybody, whether it be true or not, and we are afforded the privilege of parliament to do that.
It is a great pity, I think, when this privilege is abused in such a way, where people’s names are used. As a result of it there are press releases, there are front page stories with pictures and all the rest of it, and my investigations have revealed that there are some investigations still on foot.
So the issue really for the opposition is, do you have confidence in those organs of government that are charged with doing this stuff? Are you confident that the Nurses Registration Board is competent? Are you confident that the make-up of that particular board is independent from government ...
Mr Henderson: Eight out of 10 appointed by the minister!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr DUNHAM: Eight out of 10 of the Nurses Registration Board are my choice, is the interjection. Can I tell you that they know very little about this stuff.
The point we have is that if there are people who are aggrieved by the particular actions of, let us say, a nurse who happens to carry registration under the Northern Territory Nurses Registration Board, there are a variety of remedies available to those people. One of them is to go to the Nurses Registration Board, which is indeed what has happened. Another is to stand up in this parliament and make a judgment as to the innocence or guilt of parties. It is my preference to use due process, and to give to the independence of the Nurses Registration Board the confidence that certainly this side of the House has in them, and the capacity to be able to investigate this matter without the political interference that seems to be the hallmark of anything the Labor Party has anything to do with.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016